Remarkable People

The Mission

It's no secret, women love shoes. It only seemed natural to channel this passion for shoes to support a worthy cause. So the Wish Upon A Hero Foundation created the Hero in Heels program which benefits women affected by cancer and other  life-altering diseases.

Hero in Heels collects signed celebrity  donated shoes and then auctions them off online and at the live event. The money raised from the auction grants the wishes of women who are suffering with cancer. We purchase wigs and prosthesis as well as helping them with basic necessities.

The Heros

The average female celebrity has a closet full of incredible footwear. Most of those shoes are worn only a few times before they return to the shelf only to collect dust. The Hero in Heels program puts those beautiful shoes back into the spotlight. Thanks to all the heroes who have donated  their heels for the fashon auction.

About EJAF

The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) was established in the United States in 1992 by Sir Elton John. EJAF's U.S. office is located in New York City. In 1993, Sir Elton also established the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF-UK) in the United Kingdom, headquartered in London. These two organizations function as separate entities with their own distinct grant-making portfolios, but both pursue similar missions - to support innovative HIV prevention programs, efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS, and direct care and support services for people living with HIV/AIDS. Collectively, the two organizations have raised over $220 million since inception in support of projects in 55 countries around the world, including significant funding dedicated to programs in their respective home countries.

EJAF-US awards grants to community-based projects in the Americas and the Caribbean. EJAF-UK focuses its grant-making on programs in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Please visit www.ejaf.com for further information on the UK organization.

EJAF regularly evaluates its grant-making priorities within the context of the ever-changing challenges and needs of the evolving HIV/AIDS epidemic, targeting its grant awards where they will make the greatest impact. This approach has clearly resonated with our donors, and their generous response over the past two years has enabled us to increase EJAF’s grant making by 140%. We have expanded not only the amount of money given but also strategically targeted key populations that are poorly served by current prevention efforts and most at risk of infection including: critically under-funded communities of the Southern United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America; highly marginalized populations such as injection drug users, men who have sex with men, and incarcerated individuals; and underserved populations such as African Americans and young people.

EJAF focuses on supporting community-based prevention programs, harm reduction programs, public education to reduce the stigma of HIV/AIDS, advocacy to improve AIDS-related public policy, and direct services to persons living with HIV/AIDS, especially populations with special needs. Direct services include HIV/AIDS-related medical and mental health treatment, testing and counseling, food distribution, assisted living, social service coordination, and legal aid.

The Foundation’s greatest asset and strength is its Founder and Chairman, Sir Elton John. No mere figurehead, Sir Elton serves as EJAF’s chief fund-raiser – conducting benefit concerts, meeting with major donors, foundations, and corporations, and participating in numerous public events – and also as a highly visible and outspoken advocate – testifying before Congress, appearing at press conferences, writing editorials, and delivering speeches at events and awards ceremonies. His status as an entertainment icon and his many years as a dedicated AIDS activist and philanthropist bring tremendous visibility and credibility to EJAF’s work.

About Us

The International Red Cross is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human suffering, without any discrimination based on nationality, race, sex, religious beliefs, class or political opinions.

The movement consists of several distinct organizations that are legally independent from each other, but are united within the movement through common basic principles, objectives, symbols, statutes and governing organs. The movement's parts are:

• The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a private humanitarian institution founded in 1863 in Geneva, Switzerland, by Henry Dunant. Its 25-member committee has a unique authority under international humanitarian law to protect the life and dignity of the victims of international and internal armed conflicts. The ICRC was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on three occasions (in 1917, 1944 and 1963).
• The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) was founded in 1919 and today it coordinates activities between the 186 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies within the Movement. On an international level, the Federation leads and organizes, in close cooperation with the National Societies, relief assistance missions responding to large-scale emergencies. The International Federation Secretariat is based in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1963, the Federation (then known as the League of Red Cross Societies) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the ICRC.
• National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies exist in nearly every country in the world. Currently 186 National Societies are recognized by the ICRC and admitted as full members of the Federation. Each entity works in its home country according to the principles of international humanitarian law and the statutes of the international Movement. Depending on their specific circumstances and capacities, National Societies can take on additional humanitarian tasks that are not directly defined by international humanitarian law or the mandates of the international Movement. In many countries, they are tightly linked to the respective national health care system by providing emergency medical services.